“Atlanta has been our dwelling for nearly 30 years, and the outpouring of affection and assist for Dikembe has been overwhelming,” mentioned his spouse, Rose Mutombo. “We wished to create an area for everybody to have a good time his life and the profound influence he had on this neighborhood and all through the world.”
The household has additionally introduced that it has created the DIKEMBE MUTOMBO MEMORIAL FUND, which goals to assist a number of organizations and tasks that he championed, together with: the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital within the DRC and Buddies of Africa.
Mutombo, a fierce shot-blocker who famously waved his lengthy index finger towards opponents when he rejected their makes an attempt, was recognized with a mind tumor a number of years in the past. He pursued remedy in Atlanta.
Earlier than his profitable NBA profession, Mutombo performed his faculty ball at Georgetown College. Mutombo, Patrick Ewing, and Alonzo Mourning, three of the most effective facilities to play within the NBA within the Nineties, have been coached by the late John Thompson, the college’s revered longtime head coach.
Mutombo, considered one of solely three gamers to win the NBA’s Defensive Participant of the 12 months 4 occasions, retired after the 2008-09 season. Mutombo was chosen to the NBA All-Star Sport eight occasions and was a three-time All-NBA choose. In his profession, he averaged 9.8 factors and 10.3 rebounds per sport. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2015.
The African native spoke 9 languages and based the Dikembe Mutombo Basis in 1997. He spent his remaining days concerned in charitable and humanitarian causes.
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